This invention relates generally to door security devices, and more particularly to a device for securing a door without using a conventional lock.
Residential and commercial buildings typically incorporate internal subdivisions (e.g. hallways and rooms) separated from each other by doors.
Under normal circumstances it is necessary or desirable that these doors remain unlocked to provide free access. It is also necessary to provide free egress in the event of an emergency situation such as a fire or building structural failure. Accordingly, such doors are often not provided with locks.
However, other emergency situations can arise in which it is desirable to secure these doors. For example, “active shooter” situations sometimes occur in which an armed perpetrator roams through a building, seeking people to injure or kill on an opportunistic basis.
In such situations it is desirable to lock internal doors in order to provide some measure of protection from gunfire and/or to slow down the progress of the perpetrator until law enforcement personnel can arrive.
Numerous prior art devices are available for securing doors which are not provided with conventional locks. Some of them are only able to secure doors in one direction, i.e. push or pull, while others require hardware to be mounted to a door permanently.
One problem with some prior art door security devices is that they require the use of fine motor control, which is known to be degraded or absent in stressful situations.
Another problem with some prior art door security devices is that they may require attaching one or more components to the door itself, which can be a violation of applicable building codes.